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Article
Pulsational Mapping of Calcium Across the Surface of a White Dwarf
The Astrophysical Journal
  • Susan E. Thompson, University of Delaware
  • Ted von Hippel, University of Texas at Austin
  • et al.
Submitting Campus
Daytona Beach
Department
Physical Sciences
Document Type
Article
Publication/Presentation Date
5-1-2010
Abstract/Description

We constrain the distribution of calcium across the surface of the white dwarf star G29-38 by combining time-series spectroscopy from Gemini-North with global time-series photometry from the Whole Earth Telescope. G29-38 is actively accreting metals from a known debris disk. Since the metals sink significantly faster than they mix across the surface, any inhomogeneity in the accretion process will appear as an inhomogeneity of the metals on the surface of the star. We measure the flux amplitudes and the calcium equivalent width amplitudes for two large pulsations excited on G29-38 in 2008. The ratio of these amplitudes best fits a model for polar accretion of calcium and rules out equatorial accretion.

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/714/1/296
Publisher
Institute of Physics Publishing, Inc.
Additional Information

Dr. von Hippel was not affiliated with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University at the time this paper was published.

Citation Information
Susan E. Thompson, Ted von Hippel and et al.. "Pulsational Mapping of Calcium Across the Surface of a White Dwarf" The Astrophysical Journal Vol. 714 Iss. 1 (2010) p. 296 - 308
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/ted-vonhippel/76/